bavarikon4UGvidoni Ascanio Sfortiae S.R.E. Cardinali Camerario. Achilles Stativs sal. Lvsitaniam Gvido Sfortia, Vernandi Alvari Secco indvstria descriptam tibi ob gentis nostrae patrocinivm dicamvs. Hinc homines incredibili virtvte ac felicitate profecti omnis orbis terrarvm partes obivervnt Africae magnam partem in provinciam redegervnt. innvmerabiles insvlas, qvarvm aut nomen tantum, avt ne nomen qvidem vllvm ex stabat, primi patefecervnt, idemq. occvpavervnt. Asiam terram beatissimam sibi stipendiariam fecervnt. remotissimas nationes Iesv Christi cvltum religionemq. docvervnt. Vale. Romae. XIII. kal. Iun. MDLXI : [Portugal]
Description
The Studienbibliothek Dillingen owns two so-called "Lafreri Atlases", the term used for a compilation of maps produced by diverse engravers in Italy in the sixteenth century and bound in book-form. The name derives from Antonio Lafreri (1522-1577), an important printer, publisher and map dealer in Rome, who for the first time had maps of a uniform format bound together. The atlases were compiled individually, probably following the wishes of the respective client. Approximately 70 such atlases are known worldwide. Four of these are located in Bavaria (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Munich, Studienbibliothek Dillingen (2), Benedictine Abbey Metten). This volume contains 131 maps, almost exclusively copper-plate engravings. At the beginning of the volume, three portraits are displayed: a portrait of Pope Paul IV (1555-1559); a portrait of the French king Henry II (1547-1559) by the engraver Nicolas Beatrizet (dated to 1558) and a portrait of Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent by Agostino Veneziano (Agostino dei Musi), dated to 1535. The most recent of the dated maps was made in 1573. Here as well, some famous Italian engravers had been at work; three maps are attributed to Lafreri himself. The volume bears the supralibros of Otto Truchsess von Waldburg (seneschal, d. 1573), the founder of Dillingen University, on the front cover. The coat of arms of the University of Dillingen is imprinted on the back cover. // Datum: 2016